


Somethings are Worth a Try

by cinderlily



Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-23
Updated: 2010-04-23
Packaged: 2017-10-09 02:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/82261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderlily/pseuds/cinderlily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>But then again, David was at one of those parties that he had only heard about and he was totally in over his head and it was horrifying. (High School AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Somethings are Worth a Try

**Author's Note:**

> I guess I cheated, so this is for [](http://rajkumari905.livejournal.com/profile)[**rajkumari905**](http://rajkumari905.livejournal.com/) again. But she made two requests in the requests post and this one bit me this morning and plus the Diamondbacks are breaking my heart so baseball is kind of breaking my heart and this ALSO kind of works for [](http://twilights-arise.livejournal.com/profile)[**twilights_arise**](http://twilights-arise.livejournal.com/), though I am totally writing you something of your own, Sam, no worries. Thanks, as always, goes to [](http://openice.livejournal.com/profile)[**openice**](http://openice.livejournal.com/) for betaing and for indulging me. :)

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**Current mood:** |   
nerdy  
---|---  
**Current music:** | LeAnn Rimes: I Dare You  
**Entry tags:** |   
[cook/archuleta](http://cinderlily.livejournal.com/tag/cook/archuleta), [fics](http://cinderlily.livejournal.com/tag/fics)  
  
  
 

And it wasn't like David had thought about it before, much. It wasn't even like he was invited to these types of parties, because he was _Saint Archuleta_ after all. He couldn't even figure out how he got invited to the party in the _first place_, most of these kids were going to _college_ next year and they were all the cool kids in his choir and really he wasn't cool by any stretch of the imagination. He wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, however, so he tried to look like he knew what he was doing. But then again, he was at one of those parties that he had only heard about and he was totally in over his head and it was horrifying.

When someone, probably Michael, suggested that they play Truth or Dare he almost stood right up then and there and walked out. Cause he knew that that was really just not a good choice at all. None of his truths were that interesting, but he knew these guys could find the ones that were and he didn't like the glint in any of their eyes when it came to dares.

"So _Archie_," Carly said, drawling out the name with a smile. David didn't know when that was his nickname but he was conflicted between annoyed and so excited that he **got a nickname**. "Truth or Dare?"

And even though he had spent the better part of everyone's turns debating which would be less embarrassing, as soon as he had nine sets of eyes staring him down he forgot every single bit of logic. He bit down on his lip and thought of the last three (which had been dares that he was going to have to pray for their souls for on Sunday) and closed his eyes before he gave up, "Truth?"

By the time he opened his eyes back up a moment later Carly's smile was exactly like Jasmine used when she was about to put his hair in ribbons or ask him to play tea party. He briefly thought maybe he should scream out "DARE" but that was probably just as bad if not worse so he waited it out and she turned her Cheshire cat grin to Michael Johns and oh my. That didn't look good. She leaned over from her perch on the couch and said something to him and he said something back and she smacked his arm. After a moment he said something else into her ear and she smiled back at him and David was pretty sure he might actually throw up.

"Okay, David Archuleta," Carly's smile was small and conspiratorial. "When was the last time you were truly happy?"

That wasn't… that didn't make any sense. He could feel himself gape awkwardly at her for a second (until his grandmother's voice chastised him for looking like a fish). "Um. Well… _what_?"

"When was the last time you were happy?" she repeated, the picture of innocence, and he really had no idea what was going on.

He cast back in his mind, trying to think with 18 eyes staring at him and his brain was giving him seriously nothing. His eyes shifted and caught on familiar green-gray ones and a smile that made his stomach twist. His mouth opened entirely without his permission.

"On the last day of choir, when… When. Cook gave me a hug and told me he was going to miss me."

If he were a comic book hero he would have to take a step back and look at just how lame that word bubble was, but he thankfully wasn't. The back of his neck was warm with no doubt a huge blush and he saw the smile on Carly's face flash victorious before it relaxed into something more affectionate. He looked down at the floor in front of him and held his breath until he was nudged to go next.

He dared Jason Castro to drink a gallon of milk, which was really the lamest dare that had gone on that night but it got Jason to snort milk out of his nose and that was enough to distract the rest of the group. When he thought it was safe though, he flicked a look over at Cook, who was looking at him with a smile and his eyes went wide and his fingers twisted in his lap and he was pretty sure he had missed out on something but he couldn't figure out what it was.

When it got to Cook's turn Michael had barely gotten the question out before Cook gave a firm, "Dare, _Johns_."

"I dare you to share with the group what your biggest high school regret was, _Cook_," Michael said, and David wasn't sure whether it was his accent or if Michael was actually using a sing song to like… bait Cook or something.

Cook shook his head firmly, "That isn't fair play and you know it."

Carly leaned over again and said something into Michael's ear and the guy's face split into a huge grin. "Fair play, eh? Fine, Cook. I dare you to kiss our boy Archie here."

"What?" David asked, his voice cracking embarrassingly. The room turned to him and he put his hand up. "I mean, um. Uh. Not that I won't. Just um. Me? You want him to kiss **me**? For … clarification."

Carly answered, her hand smacked over Michael's mouth to keep him from doing so, "Yes, _you_, Archie."

He swallowed a few times and nodded. It wasn't like it was his first kiss, actually, he was _sixteen_. And he had kissed the pastor's daughter at church camp the year before (and then his son about three days later but that was something he liked to keep to himself).

Cook walked the few steps it took to bridge the room and David was pretty sure he heard him mutter "Aussie bastard" while he passed a smug looking Michael but he couldn't be certain. He knew he was holding his breath so he forced himself to inhale, because the last thing he wanted was to black out and forget the whole thing. He was pretty sure that he was hallucinating this whole thing but just to be safe.

"Sorry about this," Cook said and he kneeled down in front of where David sat Indian style. A second later his hand landed on the back of David's neck and he lost the ability to think. David was sure his breath smelled like the Skittles that had been in a bowl next to him the entire night but Cook's smelled like the beer he had been nursing (which he had to hope his parents would never ever find out that he was at a party with _beer_ or else he would be grounded for life).

Just before their lips met David licked his lips nervously and Cook's eyes shot open. David knew there was this unwritten law that you were supposed to close your eyes when you kiss, he knew it but he couldn't. So they were staring at each other for a full ten seconds before he thought to close them and he felt himself grip at the side of Cook's face and he moaned and it was pretty much like what he wanted it to be until he heard the hoots of cheering and pulled back and…

There were people. All around them. Cheering them on. And he was pretty sure if he got in the car right that moment he could hit the coast by sunrise. Then he could start swimming. Or something.

Cook's eyes looked far darker than they had a moment before but his eyes were still on David and he smiled a little, "You okay?"

He nodded like an idiot. "Are… um. Are you?"

Cook's smile widened and he nodded quickly. He bit his lower lip and just when David was going to ask what he was thinking he swerved to sit down beside him, a hand still resting on David's knee and David's hand wrapped around Cook's wrist and felt the warm rapid beat of his heart against David's finger tips.

Later, after a series of truths and dares from all around it came back to Cook. Carly was the one to ask this time.

"Truth," he grinned at the room, and David was silently thankful because he didn't want Cook to take a Dare as that might mean he would get up and move... and if he had to answer 'What color is your underwear?' to keep himself right where he was he thought Cook could do the same. (Though maybe another kiss might not be too terrible.)

Carly didn't even pause, "Any regrets?"

Cook's eyes turned to check Archie in his periphery before he shook his head. "Not a one."


End file.
